I realize the newsletter can hardly be called "monthly" lately when it's been 6 months since the last issue. I sincerely apologize for that.

I do have a good reason for my lack of commitment to sending out fun recipes and gift ideas over the last couple important holiday seasons.

During the last 6 months I've had the privilege of caring for my dear mother during her illness. She went to be with the Lord on January 25, and I've just gotten myself organized enough again to "get back to work."

Thank you so much for your patience and kindness. I received many encouraging notes from chocolate-candy-mall.com visitors letting me know that I was in their thoughts and prayers. They really meant so much to me. I'm very grateful.

It's Easter! I have to admit I've been caught by surprise with the celebration of Resurrection Day this year. I didn't realize it was falling so early in the month. Are you ready for it?

If you're still scrambling for some cute and clever Easter Bunny crafts or recipe ideas for Easter Sunday, I hope you'll enjoy these suggestions for homemade Easter treats.

Marshmallow Treat Easter
Bunny Crafts

This adorable Easter recipe is from one of my favorite magazines, Taste of Home. They always have recipes that have been tried and tested and taste just great!

Here's what you'll need:

30 large marshmallows (makes 12 Easter bunny crafts)

60 miniature marshmallows

Vanilla frosting (or white chocolate, of course!) - about 2/3 cup will do

Pink decorating gel or pink paste food coloring

Pink and red decorating sprinkles; heart-shaped

Here's how to put it together:

Using the vanilla frosting, "glue" together 2 large marshmallows, one on top of the other. Repeat until you have 12 bunny bodies.

Cut the remaining 6 large marshmallows into quarters to form the bunny ears and set aside for later.

Using the tube of pink decorating gel, "draw" a ribbon and bow around the bunny body where the two marshmallows meet to act as a bow tie.

Attach eyes and a nose using the decorative candy hearts and a little white frosting. Upright hearts for the eyes and an upside-down heart for the nose.

Using the pink frosting/gel again, pipe some whiskers and a smiling mouth on your homemade marshmallow Easter bunny.

Grab those marshmallow bunny ears that you cut up earlier and fill in the centers of each with the pink frosting. You can then attach the ears with some of the white frosting.

Finally, using 5 mini marshmallows for each Easter bunny, attach 4 legs on the front and a tail on the back.

You're done! Just let your Easter bunny crafts stand for a while until they are completely set. Now isn't that cute?

Note: If you don't have the decorating gel, you can tint 1/4 cup of your vanilla frosting pink with food coloring. Make a tube by placing the pink frosting in a pastry bag or plastic bag with a small hole cut in the corner.

Have You Ever Made Easter Bunny Cupcakes?

Let's have some fun! How about an Easter Bunny Cupcake challenge? Don't like Easter bunnies? No worries! Any Easter cupcake design will do.

Whether you're an old pro at making Easter cupcakes or this is going to be your first attempt, join in and make your own masterpiece. Get your kids in on the action, too!

Here's the rules:
You can make your cupcakes from scratch or you can use a boxed mix and canned icing. It's up to you.

Decorate your cupcakes to look like Easter bunnies or other design using frosting, candy, marshmallows, sprinkles, coconut, licorice, etc. Whatever works for you, works for me!

Here's the important bit, not to be forgotten! Take a photo (include your kids if you like) and submit your own unique Easter themed or Easter bunny craft cupcakes to our Easter party ideas page using the form provided near the bottom.

Don't forget to tell us all the details - what you used to make your cupcakes, who helped, what you're going to do with them, etc.

Who knows, if this Easter challenge is a hit, we may be forced to award a prize to the best contribution! Get busy, time's a ticking. :)

Sunflower Easter Cake

This adorable Easter cake decorated with yellow Peeps and chocolate chips is such an ingenious way to make a lovely cake that looks like a Sunflower.

This cake was designed by Bethany Eledge from Cleveland, Tennessee. It's another one of those treasures I found at Taste of Home. Great job, Bethany!

When I see these simple but effective decorating ideas, I can't help but mentally slap my forehead and say, "Now why didn't I think of that?" I'm not overly creative myself, so I'm glad there are folks like Bethany around who can come up with great recipes like this one.

What you'll need:

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix

2 cans (16 ounces each) chocolate frosting

19 yellow chick Peeps candies

1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

How To Throw It All Together:

Grease and line 2 9-inch round cake pans.

Make the cake following the directions provided on the box. If you want to make the cakes from scratch, go for it. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes when removing them from the oven. After 10 minutes, place the cakes on cooling racks to finish the cooling process and then remove the waxed paper.

If necessary make the tops of the cakes level by slicing off any mountains and valleys.

Frost the cake completely, between the layers as well as the top and sides.

Don't tear the Peeps apart! Curve each section of Peeps around the edges of the cake to create Sunflower "petals." Arrange chocolate chips all over the top of the cake to make sunflower seeds.

Isn't that a very easy but impressive idea for a really pretty Easter cake recipe? I think so! If you make one yourself, show it off on our Easter Dessert page.

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Well, that's all for this month. I hope that makes up a bit for my sad neglect and that I'm back in your good graces. (Grin!) I hope you all have a wonderful Easter Sunday.

Now that I've got my darling mother in heaven, Easter is even more precious to me than ever before. Knowing that Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead for my sins, makes it possible for me to enjoy the comfort and hope of seeing her again one day.

If you're not sure you have that hope and confidence yourself, I invite you to read my History of Easter page to learn more about it.

I hope you enjoyed this issue of Charmingly Chocolate with the mouthwatering Sunflower Easter Cake recipe and the fun Easter Bunny Crafts ideas. If you have any feedback or comments you'd like to share with me, just reply to this zine and let me know. And don't forget to take part in the Easter cupcake challenge! I can't wait to see what you've made!

Blessings, Angie :)

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